


Bonds Between Two

by Lizzie Annee (CaptainRaydorxxx)



Category: Fate: The Winx Saga (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29081148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainRaydorxxx/pseuds/Lizzie%20Annee
Summary: When a tragic mistake pulls at the bonds between Farah and Saul they are forced into events that neither of them could have been prepared for - will they as fairy and specalist be able to overcome these hurdles? Or will that which should be unbreakable be torn apart by those who should be protecting it?
Relationships: Farah Dowling/Saul Silva
Comments: 28
Kudos: 143





	1. Not Of Sadness Nor Anger

**Author's Note:**

> I do not know about anyone else - but I needed fanfiction following the end of Series 1, especially with the fates of Farah and Saul in the air.
> 
> I have taken some liberties with how I have written this but I am trying to stay as true to their characters as I can and look forward to carrying this story on.

Alfea had stood undisturbed for nearly 100 years before the Burned Ones rose once again – the strength of the fairies and specialists alike put to the test in the act of defending their home. The bonds between those studying at the school and those protecting them were stretched to their limits on one fateful evening with both groups struggling under the onslaught of their enemies. Many fairies fell that night and many more specialists fell protecting those that were left with their hopes of survival fading away until the arrival of their headmistress and her protegee. With the arrival of Rosalind and Farah moods were lifted and those that remained were able to push the Burned Ones back enough to allow their injured to be seen to and their dead treated accordingly.

The true nature of the acts that followed are not known by many. That Rosalind had found what was believed to be hiding place of the Burned Ones and that along with Saul, Ben and Farah had destroyed the village was public knowledge however that she had concealed the knowledge that the village had not been evacuated before it was destroyed, that there had been families still present when the lighting struck - this was not known to any but those present that fateful afternoon.

Ben in his everlasting kindness had been struck silent at the revelation, only able to turn and walk away after Farah had returned from investigating the ruins. Rosalind had stood there in silent triumph, her goal achieved and none the worse for having killed all those people.

Now Saul, ever the stoic solider, had stood with his sword in hand in silence as Farah had stumbled back to the top of the hill that they had made their stand on and in gasping breaths explained what she had found. He watched as Rosalind looked down on Farah’s shaking figure, her protegee weeping into the ground after falling to her knees, begging Rosalind for an explanation. He could only continue to watch as Rosalind knelt in front of Farah, one hand pulling her chin up as brown eyes looked into blue – he couldn’t hear what was said between the two, but he saw the change in Farah’s posture with each passing word, the veil that slipped into place as tears continued to silently roll down her cheeks. Only when Farah reached out to Rosalind with both hands did he move, his steps not quick enough to close the gap between himself and the two fairies as Farah took Rosalind’s face in her hands tightly, the older woman’s eye widening in shock and with not a word spoken Farah’s pupils shimmered white, her tears shining as her grip tightened. Saul could only watch as Rosalind’s body twitched, the spasms throwing the older woman’s limbs in wild circles and only held up from the ground by the strength of Farah’s grip. It took him no more than a few seconds to close the final metres between them, his feet sliding on the wet grass as he fell to kneel beside Farah who had finally let go of Rosalind, her body still and silent in front of her.

He reached for Farah as naturally as he breathed air into his lungs and pulled her into his chest with one arm wrapped around her back and a hand threading into her now messy hair. He took a second to look at Rosalind’s still form, the fairy’s eyes closed in what could almost be a peaceful expression before he pulled Farah closer into his chest, her upper body heaving with silent sobs.

“We can’t stay here Farah” he whispered; the hand wrapped in her hair rubbing gently at her scalp as he spoke into the top of her hair.

“The school needs us – and Luna will be waiting for a report”. He felt Farah clutch at his jacket, her hands pulling at the material so tightly he though it might rip under the strain.

“How could she do this?”

“How could she use us like this?” Saul had no answers for her as she spoke into his chest, her words muffled. He knew that there was nothing he could say that would ease the pain in her heart in that moment and again pulled her impossibly closer.

“We need to get back to the school – we need to make sure that they are all safe. Then we can begin to deal with Rosalind” He felt her nod at the words but made no move to shift her from his lap as she continued to cry.

“Rosalind won’t be out for long – I took her by surprise, but she will be awake soon if we don’t bind her quickly” Farah explained, her words shaky and still interspersed with sobs. He gently untangled his hand from her hair and placed it on her cheek, lifting her face gently so that he could look at her. His heart ached at the pain he saw in her eyes, the normally brown orbs still shining white and glistening with tears. He brushed a stray tear away with his thumb, the digit gently resting on her cheek as they continued to look at each other. Saul could not say how long they sat like that, their clothes dampening from sitting on the wet grass, Farah all but sitting in Saul’s lap with his arm still wrapped around her but he knew that he had to get her moving soon before she was too exhausted to do so. He heard Ben coming before he saw him, the quiet steps treading carefully around Rosalind’s still silent form as he approached the pair.

“I have some Zanbaq” Ben whispered as he knelt beside them, a hand coming to rest on Farah’s back.

“I got in the habit of carrying some with me as a precaution – I can dose Rosalind with a small amount, it should keep her out long enough to get back to the school and find a more permanent solution” Ben explained more to Saul than Farah, aware the fairy was struggling.

“I should be able to carry her back to the car if you can manage Farah”. Saul nodded in agreement, unable to express his gratefulness for the other man’s return and gentle assistance.

“Do it – the sooner we get moving the better”. The two men looked at each other and nodded again, Ben rising from the ground as he reached into his jacket for a small vial. Saul watched as Ben knelt close enough to Rosalind to press the vial against her lips and pour the contents into her mouth before he stepped back. With a deep breath he looked back down at Farah, her sobs quieter than before although her grip on his jacket had not lessened.

“Farah” Saul whispered gently into her hair, not wanting to startle her.

“Ben is dealing with Rosalind and I don’t know about you, but my arse is starting to freeze in these wet trousers” his dry attempt at humour a last-ditch effort at drawing her attention. When she still did not respond he lifted her face again, his hand resting gently on her jaw. When he saw that her eyes had still not shifted back to their normal colour, he pulled his arm from around her back and took her face in both hands, brushing away yet more stray tears.

“Farah, I need you to listen to me” his words came out with slightly more force than he had intended but his concern only grew when she still did not respond to his voice.

“Farah”

“I should have known there was something wrong when we got here” he startled at her words, her voice soft, almost as if she was talking to herself.

“I didn’t realise it to begin with. I could feel them, in the village, all of them, but I told myself it was nothing” he watched as she spoke, her gaze seemingly focused on something behind him.

“I told myself there was nothing – that Burned Ones didn’t feel like that”.

“But there is nothing now – no noise, no emotions. Nothing. Because of her” he tightened his grip on her face as her gaze sharpened, the words more of a growl than before.

“Farah listen to m- “

“They are nothing because of us”

“Farah plea-“

“Because I helped her” Saul gasped as he watched her eyes flash again, he could feel her nails pressing through the fabric of his jacket even tighter than before and he could feel the energy rolling off of her in waves.

“Ben!” Saul called out to the earth fairy, worry evident in his voice.

“This is my fault – I should have stopped the minute I felt them. I should have stopped her”. Saul could only clutch her tighter as her breathing became more erratic, her words peppered with more sobs and cries that no longer sounded sad but were filled with anger.

“Farah I need you to be calm” he tried to talk to her but he could not tell if she even knew if he was even there any more, her gaze utterly absorbed with something only she could see.

Saul had seen fairies work themselves into states of agitation and exhaustion before, it was not uncommon due to their powers being fed by their emotions, but he had never seen Farah like this before – she was always the one in control, the one who could calm even the most worked-up fairy.

“Farah please” he whispered into her hair, desperate for his words to get through.

“I can’t feel them anymore” Saul watched as she finally turned to look at him, hair pulled out from it’s normally neat style by his fingers and cheeks red with tears.

“I know Farah – and I am so sorry” he knew there was still nothing that he could say but he felt that he needed to say something, anything to try and ease her pain.

“I can’t feel them anymore – and it’s my fault” With a blink she whispered quietly, so softly that he barely made out her words before he watched her eyes shift back to their normal warm brown tones before they rolled back and she slumped into his arms, her head coming to rest on his chest.

“Saul” Ben called out in worry as he reached for them both. He helped Saul lay her on to her back and watched as the soldier pressed a hand against her cheek and leant close to her for a moment, his forehead pressed against hers.

“What happened?” he asked as Saul finally leant back on his heels, his hands brushing through his short hair. Saul took a deep breath and looked to the other man, his body sagging with exhaustion.

“I have never seen her like that before” he said, not really knowing what to say to his friend.

“I can’t even begin to image what she is feeling right now – it is hard enough for me and I’m not a mind fairy, I wouldn’t understand half of what is going on in her head right now as a empath focused mind fairy” Ben muttered, his hands resting his in lap as they both watched the now silent Farah.

“She was always gifted. Despite her abilities over all the elements, her empathic gifts were always the strongest, you could never hide anything from her, and she always seemed to know what people were thinking even when they didn’t”.

Saul huffed, not having enough energy to laugh properly. He leant a hand forward and brushed a stray strand of hair off her cheek gently and watched as her eye lashes twitched.

“I don’t know how long Rosalind had been planning this for, but we are not going to be getting anything out of her for a while” Ben said, needing to say something to fill the vacuum filling the air around them.

“I know – but before we worry about that we need to get them both back to the school and find a more permanent solution for Rosalind before Luna comes looking for answers” Saul placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder and looked at him calmly.

“Once Farah’s awake, we can talk about more about Rosalind’s motivations but until then let’s focus on that”.

“Okay” Both men stood, Ben moving to pick up Rosalind with a small degree of hesitation, her small form held easily in his arms as he pushed off the ground. Saul gently wrapped one arm under Farah’s back and the other under her knees as he pulled her into his chest, rising slowly as he adjusted her long form into a comfortable position. One he was happy he had her securely cradled against him, her head gently resting under his chin, he stood up fully and moved to follow Ben, only sparing a quick glance behind him at the still smouldering ruins.

Farah shifted in his arms as he moved over the uneven ground between them and the cars, her arms crossing until her hands could rest against his chest, her fingers gripping his jacket again unconsciously. Saul looked down as he walked, pulling her closer still and tightening his grip.

“I’ve got you Farah” He knew her mind was focused on other things in that moment but said the words for himself almost as much as he did for her, needing her to know that he was protecting her like he always had and would continue to do so.


	2. Together Even When Apart

It hadn't taken Saul and Ben long to get to the cars, the journey quiet in deference to the two women they carried. Rosalind had not made a sound after being given the zanbaq and still didn't stir after being placed in the back of Ben's car. Saul, knowing Farah would not appreciate being laid down in the back of his 4x4 gently sat her in the passengers seat. He watched her for a moment, her head resting on the back of the seat as her lashes gently fluttered against her cheeks. Saul heard rather than saw Ben approach him but did not turn as he was reluctant to take his eyes off Farah for more than a moment. 

"Rosalind is strapped in and should be out long enough for the drive back to the school whilst we decide what to do with her" he explained, coming to a stop beside Saul. As he waited for a response he took his glasses off to wipe them, a nervous habit he had never quite managed to shake. 

"Saul" 

"Sorry Ben, I did hear you. I just d-" Saul stopped as Ben placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, the warm weight reassuring.

"I know. Take a moment, get your breath back and then follow on - the sooner I get Rosalind back to the school the quicker I can secure her, I have an temporary idea in mind for now" Saul finally turned and smiled in response, ever grateful for the persistent calmness of his friend.

"Thank you Ben. We won't be far behind you"

With just a nod Ben turned back to his car, glasses back on as he walked away. Saul watched as Ben started his car and made to pull away, one hand raised. He watched him drive away until he could no longer see the vehicle, it disappearing down the track they had first travelled up earlier that afternoon. He couldn't say how long he stood there, his gaze focused on the horizon as the late afternoon sun slowly began to set and the skyline was touched with gentle rays of red and orange light. It was only when he heard Farah take a sharp breath that he turned back to her, automatically reaching for her. He stepped back into her space, as close as he could get with her still sat in the car seat and watched as her eyes flutterd open slowly, his hands gently lifting her face so that he could look at her properly. It took her only a moment to wake, the events of that afternoon still clear in her mind as she opened her eyes fully and looked up at Saul as he cupped her face. 

"Where-"

He smiled gently, and brushed away a determined piece of hair from her cheek with his hand. 

"Your in the car - Ben has already headed back to the school with Rosalind who is still out from the zanbaq" he added the last part in recognition of her look of worry, her brows furrowed as she thought of her friend. 

"How long was I out?" she asked, finally breaking from his gaze to look out at the setting sun behind him.

"A few hours - we made the walk back to the cars in good time but it is starting to get late, we should head back soon" Sauls reply was calm as he continued to watch her face. 

"Ben is going to deal with Rosalind until we get back - I needed to make sure you were safe before we left"

Farah turned back to look at Saul, the setting sun casting him into shadow as he stood next to her, his presence as reassuring as ever. He watched as expression after expression passed over her features and knew what was coming next, already pulling her out the car and back into his arms as she began to cry. They stood, wrapped in each other as she cried, not the angry sobs from earlier but truly heartbroken tears, her grip on the back of his jacket almost painful. 

"This is not your fault Farah - you could not have possibly known that she was going to do this" he spoke the words into her hair as she continued to cry, knowing that she was just sad, too exhausted to be angry in that moment. 

"You are not responbile for her actions, you are not her keeper - her sins are her sins alone"

"I know - but I still feel like I should have known sooner. I didn't question her plan or where she had found the information about the village - I just followed her blindly" Farah replied. Deep down she knew that if Rosalind had wanted this to happen then she would have found a way with or without the others but that did not stop her feeling such deep regret for the unncessary deaths. She lifted her head so that she could look at him, not that there was a great degree of diference in their height with him only standing 10cm taller. 

"How do we explain what happened here Saul? How do I tell Luna that Rosalind destroyed that village knowing there were innocent people still there?" she asked the questions quietly, not knowing if she truly wanted an answer but needing his reassurance none the less. 

"Together Farah - like everything we will do it together" She smiled, the words as calming as she knew they would be and gently rested her head on his chest as she took a deep breath. Saul loosened his grip on her ever so slightly, lifting a hand so that he could raise her head from his chest. 

"I know there are those within the realms that do not put faith in the bond" Farah raised an eyebrow at his words, the change in topic not unwelcome but not anticapted. 

"But know this Farah - we are bonded, we have been since that day we first met at Alfea all those years ago" she laughed at this, his gentle deference to how long they had know each other both charming and amusing. 

"And that means I will follow you wherever you may go - whether you want me to or not. But know that I do this of my own free will - I do not follow you blindly Farah. I know who and what you are and I know that I will stand beside you or behind you for as long as I am capable" Saul watched her as he spoke, her face unable to control its expressions as she took in his words. 

"Never behind me Saul" He smiled at her quick response but continued on anyway. 

"This was not your fault Farah and both you and I know this - we will deal with Rosalind and Luna together. Everything will be okay" She heard the promise in his words even if she knew that he knew it was not a promise he could verbalise - that neither of them could be sure of what would happen but that both of them knew that they would face whatever came together. 

"We should have spoken about our bond long ago Saul - I should never have made us both wait" 

"You did not want it to define you Farah and I understood that. You are more than just a fairy who has bonded with her specalist and the realms have seen that"

"I don't know what is going to happen now but I know that I will not face it without you by my side Saul - whatever chaos Rosalind brings down upon us I will face it head on with you. Always".

In that moment they both leant in to each other as if there was still far too much space between them and paused as they rested their heads together, their quiet breaths in sink. Both content to just stand in each others presence, the only sounds around them being the rustling of grass and the occasional whisper drifting off the breeze. Saul was not sure which of the two of them made the final push but the next thing he knew was that his lips were pressed against hers, his hands cupping her head as her arms wrapped around his neck. It wasn't the first kiss they had shared over the years - there had been any number of gentle pecks on the cheek and the occasionally quick press of the lips after a shared drink however the need to hold onto her like this forever was new, the thought of letting her go terrifying. 

The kiss was soft - neither prepared to push too hard and both content to enjoy the moment as they stood wrapped in each others presence. They could have been there for hours for all they knew, neither one willing to break the spell that had settled over them. It was only when Farah realised that she needed to breathe that she broke the kiss, her with a sharp breath and Saul with a gentle sigh although neither of them let go of the other. 

"I'm not sure that was the right time for that - however I am finding it very difficult to care in this moment" Farah exhaled as she ran her fingers along the back of his neck. Saul nodded in agreement, a small smile etched on his lips as he looked down at her. He let them stand their for a moment longer before he took a step back although he took her hand in his as he turned towards the car. 

"We need to get back to the school and find Ben - but we will come back to this I promise" he pulled at her then, noticing the slight reluctance in her steps even if she wasn't aware of it herself. He waited until she was in the car and helped her strap her belt in before he closed the door and walked round to his side. Once he was sat in the drivers seat and himself settled he started the engine, pausing only to glance at Farah as she settled herself in her seat and gazed out the window. He sighed as he watched a frown settle on her brow, her eyes darkening as her thoughts drifted again to the events of the day. He reached out and took her hand, linking their fingers together as he pulled the car away, steering with his spare hand. He saw the small smile on her lips as she squeezed his fingers back but it was only for a moment before the frown returned. Saul let out a small sigh as he steered the 4x4 down the track that led away from Aster Dell knowing that despite the small amount of happiness he knew their kiss had brought her, whatever waited for them back at Alfea was likely to bring more than shadows over their new path.


	3. Luxuries We Don't Have

The sun had truly set by the time Saul pulled up to the school, the gates rolling open gently as he guided the car through. Neither of them spoke as he steered the car towards the greenhouse where they knew Ben would be, both content to sit in the comfortable silence they travelled in after leaving Aster Dell. Ben was waiting outside the greenhouse for them as he stopped the car, already moving forward to open Farah's door as Saul shut the car off and stepped out his side. Farah smiled at Ben as she stepped out, reaching out to pull him into a quick hug before she made for the doors of the greenhouse. 

"Any issues?" Saul asked as he stepped round the car towards Ben, his sword and scabbard in his hand rather than across his back. Ben shook his head as they fell in next to each other and followed Farah into the greenhouse.

"Nobody asked any questions - I took the back route to the greenhouse so I could get Rosalind inside unseen and then went to dinner" Saul laughed, not at all surprised at Bens attempts at keeping suspicion down. He closed the glass doors behind them before he followed Ben deeper into the warm greenhouse towards his private rooms at the back. Farah was already sat behind Ben's desk, her chin resting on her hands as she watched Rosalind, the sleeping woman laid out on Ben's pull-out in the middle of the room, her wrists and ankles now bound with what appeared to be vines and an IV in her arm.

"Zanbaq?" Farah nodded to the IV as Ben and Saul stepped in the room.

"A variation of - it's in a significantly more diluted form. It will keep her sedated for now following the original dose however it is not a long-term solution, the side effects of pro-longed use can be severe" he explained as he perched himself on a stool off to the side of Rosalind. Whilst the two fairies spoke Saul moved around the room, his sword coming to rest on top of the desk as he sat himself next to it so that he could be near Farah - not quite ready to be apart from her just yet, his hip brushing her elbow.

"What are our options?" The question went out but was left unanswered as the three of them sat in silence. Ben continued to watch Rosalind as did Farah, the two of them deep in thought. Saul watched Farah, his arms crossed as he sat next to her, close enough to see the furrow in her brow and the tension in her shoulders. 

"We keep her sedated - run the risks of side effects and monitor her" Ben was the first to speak up, his answer expected. Farah sighed, leaning into her hands as her fingers brushed through her hair.

"We inform Luna - let the Solarian forces arrest her" Saul's answer came next. Farah finally lent back in her seat, her arms mirroring his as they crossed across her chest. 

"I don't like it." 

"How many options do we really have?"

"We can't keep her sedated indefinitely - there is no guarantee that she won't break out of it and we do not have the resources to monitor her safely long term" Farah explained as she looked at Ben and closed her eyes when he nodded in agreement. 

"I'd have no issue producing enough zanbaq to keep her out but your right - I can't promise that it would be safe, even for someone as powerful as Rosalind". Farah looked up at Saul next, watching as he now gazed at the floor, his arms still crossed.

"Saul" 

"We could inform Luna of what she did there - have her arrest Rosalind and let the Solarian forces take her" Saul didn't look up as he spoke again, his unhappiness with the words clear to both of them. 

"That would be the easiest solution." 

"There is something about the whole situation that is not sitting right Farah" Saul carried on, finally looking up from the floor, his blue eyes looking into her brown gaze. 

"Rosalind is not one to do something without reassurances - I worry that Luna knew what she was going to do before she sent us out there “the words were quiet but the implications clearl. Ben sat forward on his stool, his elbows resting on his knees as he took in Saul's words.

"Do you truly believe that the two of them would have been in on this together?" 

"To be honest Ben, I don't know what to think right now but I do now that if Luna was involved in Rosalind’s plans and we go to her with this now then we are digging ourselves a hole I don't think we could get out of" 

"But if she didn't know-"

"Can we risk the cost?" Saul cut Ben off, still not moving from his spot on the desk. Ben sighed as he sat back, his gaze shifting back to Rosalind. The three of them sat there in silence for a moment, Ben watching Rosalind. Farah broke the silence first as pulled her chair forward slightly, just enough so that she could lean back onto the desk. 

"I could wipe her" Farah said simply She watched as both men looked to her, Saul with concern and Ben with surprise. 

"What do you me-" Saul started to speak when Ben cut him off.

"Could you guarantee that it would hold?" 

"No but it's an option. I wipe her completely and plant false memories, trails for her mind to follow - she would need to be monitored to make sure that it takes properly" Farah explained. 

"It's a drastic option" Saul huffed as the two fairies continued to talk between themselves before he broke the conversation up. 

"What do you mean wipe her?" the question was direct. Farah blinked and turned to look back at Saul, her hand unconsciously reaching out towards his leg, her fingers brushing against the fabric of his trousers. 

"Before this, before today - I was working with Rosalind on a new set of powers. She believed that mind fairies could use their ability to manipulate and scan the memories of individuals and tweak them for a better word. That we could take existing thoughts, ideas and memories and replace them with artificially created ones - up until a few months ago she had not had any success" Saul spoke up when Farah paused, her eyes closing briefly. 

"Until she started working on it with you, I assume?"

"It's not a perfect practice but I have had some success - I have not been able to trial it on a long-term basis as the only fairies I have used it on where close to death so as to avoid any unnecessary trauma. I couldn't guarantee that it would be a success or that it wouldn't cause her any more harm than the zanbaq would".

"Is that even ethical Farah?" Saul asked the question, his unease with this new knowledge evident to all three of them.

"Is what she did out there ethical?" Farah snapped back unintentionally.

"She killed all those people - with mine and Ben's help and didn't even blink once the smoke had cleared. How do we know that she won't do it again?"

A heavy silence settled over the room as Ben watched Farah and Saul, the rising tension palpable between the two. Ben knew there was more going on with the fairy and specialist, that something had finally shifted between them, but he didn't want to push it in that moment.

"We have to do something Saul - she cannot be allowed to just walk away from her actions today" Saul rubbed a hand across his face, feeling a weariness heavier than he had in a long time.

"There is another option."

"Please."

"She isn't allowed to walk away."

"Saul, I can't stand it when your being vau-"

"We kill her."

Farah sat back in her chair in silence at Saul's words, her hands falling into her lap as she looked up at him. Ben stared at the pair, unsure of how to respond to his friend's suggestion. 

"Her acts today were horrific and if she were taken to trial you could almost guarantee her sentence would be death - this is amount to a war crime" Saul crossed his arms again as he continued. 

"I could make it quick, painless - and all we would need to tell Luna is that she died at Aster Dell"

"Saul" Farah and Ben spoke up at the same time, but Saul carried on.

“If she goes to trial, she will be executed publicly. The school will be dragged through the mud along with her and can we be sure that they won’t do the same to us? If we try and keep her sedated, she could die or worse, wake up. If Farah attempts to wipe her, she could die or worse, it doesn’t work.” He paused for a moment, his hand running down his face before he waved it out to the side of him. 

“Let’s be honest – what actual options do we have?” 

“But to kill her Saul”. 

“If we did it, it would be painless, quiet and no one would be the wiser – we could bury this here and now”.

Farah and Ben looked at each other, the two fairies taking in Saul’s words as the room once again settled, the only sound being Rosalind’s quiet breaths. Saul let his gaze sink back to the floor, having nothing left to say and his point made.

“There is one other option” Ben and Saul both looked at Farah when she spoke.

“As much as I hate to agree with Saul on this, he’s right that this is likely our quickest and quietest option however I will not kill her nor will I allow either of you two to do it. If we kill her then our actions will be no less forgivable than hers”

“So, what do you suggest?”

“I will bind her – I will use the rooms beneath my office. It will be similar to the memory wiping, but I will be locking her into a memory rather than removing it, she won’t know where she is or what is happening around her, but she will be safe. I will also enchant the rooms so we will be able to monitor her safely without having to be physically with her as well as knowing if someone tries to get in”.

“Are you sure?” Saul reached out to Farah, pulling one hand into his. 

“I have done it before – it is much easier to help someone relieve a memory rather than taking it away completely. I will just need to be careful to source a memory she is fond of to prevent her rejecting it” She looked at their hands, fingers wrapped around each other, his thumb running over her knuckles before she turned to look at Ben again. 

“I will need your help securing the rooms Ben. Moving her there should be easy enough between the three of us but your sealing abilities are second to none. A second pair of eyes when laying enchantments is also never amiss”. He nodded, finally rising from his stool.

“Okay – I’ll keep on top of my zanbaq production as well should the need to re-sedate her arise. It will do no harm to have a little extra put away.” Saul rose from his seat on the table, still holding Farah’s hand.

“I’ll take a quick walk up to the main building to check the corridors – Ben and I can then carry Rosalind up to your rooms”. He squeezed Farah’s hand as he moved away from the desk, Farah seemingly unwilling to let go as he moved further away which meant her hand was left hanging in the air when he finally stepped out of reach. Ben approached the desk after Saul had left the room and laid a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. 

“I know this is hardly the time Farah but am I to take it that you and Saul have finally had the talk” the words were quiet as he squeezed her shoulder. 

“I can hardly say we’ve talked about it – but it’s no longer being ignored. When this is finished – when we can both breathe freely, then we will talk properly” she answered, her eyes closing for just a moment before she sighed and stood. 

“I need to change – Saul shouldn’t be long, and I have spare clothes in the car. Will you be okay to watch Rosalind until then?” 

Ben smiled and pushed Farah towards the door with a wave of his hand. 

“I’ll be fine – go sort yourself out. Heaven knows we’re still not finished for the night”. 

He watched she stepped out the room, gently shutting the door behind herself and released a breath as he perched himself on the edge of the desk facing Rosalind. Whilst he knew they at least had a direction to move in he could still see the clouds on the horizon, the shadow of what was coming hanging heavy over them.

He knew that Saul and Farah would not put themselves before the welfare of the school and its inhabitants and worried that they may not get the opportunity to.


	4. Memories Can Be Painful

It was not long before the three of them reconvened in Ben's private rooms - Saul from his walk around the school and Farah from changing into dry clothes. Without the need for words Ben and Saul gently carried Rosalind from the greenhouse as Farah led the way to her office and private rooms, their steps quick and quiet despite the late hour. Once in Farah's office she closed the door behind them with a wave of her hands and brief flash of white in her pupils. With another wave she opened the hidden doorway in her bookcase so that the two men could carry Rosalind down the stone stairs. It didn't take them long to reach the bottom stairwell and make their way into the central room with its high ceiling and distinct lack of windows. 

"Any magic to that focuses on the human mind or psyche is delicate - even more so what we are about to do" Farah explained as she gestured for the two men to move into the middle of the room. Once there they settled Rosalind on the floor, Farah placing a cushion under her head as they did. 

"I am going to locate a memory that she has a fondness for and create a bubble around it before I pull her consciousness into it - for Rosalind it will feel as if she is reliving a fond moment over and over again, completely oblivious to the outside world. I will then seal her into that bubble - should her consciousness become aware and attempt to break out I will know immediately."

"How long will it take for you to do this?" Ben asked, resting back onto his heels. 

"I can't truly say but hopefully only as long as it takes me to find a suitable memory."

This time it was Saul that spoke,

"Do you need us to do anything?" Farah laughed. She settled onto her knees behind Rosalind’s head and rubbed her hands together, warding off the chill of stone room. 

"Unless you have both developed mind fairy powers over night this is something only I can do - but it would comfort me greatly if you would both stay whilst I do this. Just in case something goes wrong" Farah's words were said quietly but clearly, both men nodding at her gentle request and settling on the floor, both making sure they had a view of the two women whilst still giving them their space. Farah took a deep breath and rubbed her hands together once before placing one either side of Rosalind's head, her eyes glowing their customary white. 

Farah eased herself through Rosalind’s memories, sifting through the decades of information, looking for her goal. Handling someone else's psyche was no easy feat for any fairy and even with Farah's unnatural level of power the strain was quickly felt - with each new door she opened the pressure built in her head, the weight of everything that was Rosalind pushing back at Farah. When she finally lost track of how long she had been sifting through every memory she could access Farah found what she was looking for, a memory that felt warm - a memory that Rosalind's subconscious responded positively to and flung open the metaphorical door. The sight of smoke and rolling fields covered in bodies of both fairies and Burned Ones opened before her, the sensation of rain soft against her skin as she moved through the memory. Farah knew this place; she had her own memories of this battle against the Burned Ones and of the horrors that occurred here.  
She followed Rosalind's steps, needing to see what it was that caused the older woman to hold this memory dear. Farah did her best not to look at the bodies of her friends, the fairies, and specialists alike that she had learnt, trained, and lived with, strewn across the scenery like litter in the wind. As she crested the hill she had been walking up her breath caught in her chest, the sight of herself, Saul, Ben and Andreas in the valley below a stark reminder of what had happened on that terrible day - she watched as Burned One after Burned One threw themselves at the quad, each being replaced with another the moment it was struck down. She could only stare as she moved closer, the sight of Saul's resting in her arms as Ben and Andreas did their best to keep the Burned Ones away - she watched her younger self lean down to Saul so that he could whisper something in her ear, her memory of the words as clear as it had been on that day. Saul had been clipped by a stray blast from a fairy that now lay dead somewhere on the battle field, the wound on his chest severe although not life threatening she knew now - Farah had held him close as she whispered calming words into his hair, their call for help having gone out however long ago whist the other two kept them safe, Andreas slashing at each Burned One that came close with his and Saul's sword in either hand and Ben using the best of his earth magic to provide some defence. 

Farah could feel everything she felt that day, the rain on her skin, the wind in her hair, the blood on her face, the weight of Saul in her lap and the sound of fighting around her. She continued to watch as Rosalind's form finally appeared, a lone figure at the top of the hill watching the fighting below - the older woman hidden in the shadows of the setting sun. She turned back to look at her friends when she heard Andreas call out over the clash of weapons and bursts of magic.

"They just keep coming Farah" she watched him turn quickly to her younger self, blood spattered over his chest and face from Burned One and fairy alike before he swung both swords at yet more Burned Ones. She watched as Saul finally passed out in her arms, the pain too much as she gently lowered him to ground - Farah caught herself as she moved towards to figures, her need to heal Saul's pain like a tight band around her chest. Her younger self called out to Ben, the earth fairy covered in sweat as he desperately beat back their foes in attempt to control the numbers swarming them before he turned and ran to her side - Farah had forgotten what a fighter Ben had been as a younger man, whilst never quite as strong as the other three, his determination had no rival especially when it came to protecting his friends. She could hear herself telling Ben to watch Saul, to protect him, as she rose from the ground and strode towards Andreas, Saul's counterpart still swinging both swords. Out of the corner of her eye Farah saw Rosalind move across the crest of the hill slightly as if to have a better view of the valley below - her pointed gaze fixed on her protegee as her younger self stepped up beside Andreas. Farah knew what happened next before her counterpart even lifted her hands, the memory still as vivid even after all these years. 

She could clearly remember the waves of emotion rolling through her body in the moment, the fear of losing Saul (and the others), the sadness over the deaths of those who had already fallen and the anger and resentment towards the Burned Ones still throwing themselves at them.  
Farah watched the scene unfold, knowing her counterpart was taking deep breaths even if she was too far away to see the small movements of her chest, knowing that she was drawing every drop of emotion, every drop of feeling into her core. She was still for so long Andreas paused when a moment of calm fell upon them, the specialist turning to look at Farah properly before the fairy's eye's opened just as another wave of bodies came over the nearest hill - he stepped back in that moment, moving quickly to the others after taking in the deep red glow of Farah's pupils, knowing full well what was going to happen next. She watched as Ben pulled a barrier of earth up in front of the three men, one arm cradling Saul's upper body, the other raised in front of him towards his barrier as Andreas stood just to the side of them with both swords raised. Farah remembered the feelings of desperation, anguish, and anger - such in a way that she had never felt before, at least not until the events at Aster Dell and how that had poured back out of her as she rained fire down across the hillside. In a moment of raw power, the likes of which she had never felt before Farah had decimated each and every Burned One left that day, the flames high and hot as they tore across the fields destroying everything they came into contact with. She could still feel the heat of the flames on her cheeks as her hair was ripped out from its ponytail by the up draft, each strand whipping around her face. The sky had continued to darken however the flames kept the scene alight, Farah heralded in its glow, her eyes shining red. 

When not a single Burned One remained and the area had finally fallen silent Farah had snapped her fingers, the fire vanishing in a puff leaving nothing, but charred bodies scattered across the grass and a faint smell of smoke on the air. She turned to look at Rosalind who had not moved from her spot-on top of the hill and was aghast to see the small smile on the older woman's lips, her arms crossed as she took in the sight below her. Farah remembered briefly looking up to see her headmistress stood there, a small part of her wondering why she had not come down to help them whilst the rest tried to keep her body upright. The moment the flames had died down Ben had dropped his barrier with Saul awake again, leaning against his chest as Andreas dashed towards her. After a pause Rosalind had turned away, not deigning to descend the hill side and check on her students and walked away - Farah was now grateful for that as she watched herself begin to crumple, the strain of what she had just done finally taking its toll on her body. Andreas had caught her as she fell, his arms sweeping her up before she could hit the floor and carried her back to the other two, Ben already pulling vials out of his jacket and Saul trying to keep himself propped up on one arm as he reached for her with the other. She sighed, still able to feel the exhaustion from that day and the slight sense of fear that corded through her body when she used fire magic even to this day - she ran a hand down her face as took a step back, not needing to see anymore when a voice behind her spoke up.

"You always were a magnificent fighter"

***

Ben and Saul could only sit and watch as Farah knelt behind Rosalind, neither man sure what to do next until Farah came back to them. After what felt like hours of sitting on the stone-cold floor Ben had finally nodded off, his head resting against the wall behind and his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. Saul watched his friend sleep knowing it was truly late into the night now and chuckled quietly as he stretched his legs in front of him in a fight against a sudden bout of cramp. He leant his head back against the wall in a mirror of Ben and looked back at Farah, her hands not still as they hovered next to Rosalind's head and her eyes still glowing white - he closed his eyes for just a moment when he heard her take a sudden breath, the sound catching his attention in the silent room. He opened his eyes to find her brow furrowed and her fingers straining against something he imagined only she could see, the tension in her body clear compared to her calm demeanour just a moment ago. When she took another breath, he slapped his hand against Ben's shoulder to wake him before he scuttled across the floor next to her. 

"What's happened?" Ben asked as he too hurried over. 

"I closed my eyes for just a second and when I opened them, she was like this" Saul did not know what else he could say, Ben could see what was happening as clearly as he could. 

"Something must be wrong - Farah had hoped it wouldn't take this long to find what she needed but clearly Rosalind is making her work for it" Ben muttered the words quietly as he leant down and placed two fingers against the older woman’s neck. 

"She doesn't appear to be waking and her pulse is steady - whatever is happening if going on inside. I don't know if there is anything we can do" Ben continued as his gaze moved between the two women. Saul reached a hand towards Farah, but Ben stopped him, his hand on his forearm.

"It's too risky, we can only wai-" 

"Ben" Saul cut Ben off, shaking his hand off as he moved closer to Farah, both their attentions now drawn to the blood coming from Farah's nose. Ignoring his words of warning to Saul, Ben now reached out to Farah, tipping her head up to the light so that he could see into her eyes. Whilst they still glimmered white Ben noted that her pupils were blown wide - that along with the nose blood caused alarm bells to ring. 

"I need to go back to the greenhouse Saul - there are things that I need to get, and I need to get them quickly. Watch them both, you won't be able to pull Farah out but if either of them gets worse you must come and get me if I am not already back" Saul nodded at the hurried words, not taking his eyes off Farah as Ben dashed away, his footsteps heavy as he climbed the steps behind them. 

"What's happening in there Farah?"

*** 

"You shouldn't be able to see me Rosalind" Farah did her best to appear calm despite her shocked reaction to Rosalind's sudden appearance behind her. She turned to face her, arms now straight at her side. 

"I can do a lot of things I shouldn't be able to - but you know that now." 

"I gather you know why I am here then." 

Rosalind smiled, the expression not carrying any of the normal warmth one would expect. She moved towards Farah, her actions gentle and innocent looking as stepped up in front of her protegee.

"I think this is my proudest moment of you Farah. You were always strong, stronger than the rest of your comrades" the words were spat out in distaste, a sound not uncommon coming from Rosalind. 

"But you were a true spectacle on that battlefield - no fairy before you had shown such strength, especially not one who wasn't born a fire fairy" she smirked again, her shoulders raising briefly as she looked past Farah to the scene behind her. When the younger woman did not respond she sighed before turning to look back at her. 

"It was a shame it took me putting the others at risk like that to draw it out of you but then you always could be stubborn" Farah jolted at the words.

"What do you mean you were putting them at risk?"

"Well, isn't it obvious? I drew the Burned Ones there that day, it had been too long since our last conflict and I had concerns over the attitudes of many within the school. I decided a refresher was required”.

"Do you even know how many fairies and specialists died that day?"

"No" Rosalind answered with a shrug.

"And nor do I care - I got what I needed, and you got to save your beloved friends" Farah finally moved away from Rosalind, her hands now shaking at the complete lack of remorse coming from her former friend. She turned to face Rosalind, the other fairy gazing up at her without a care. 

"After today I really shouldn't be shocked at your callous regard for our lives but there was a small part of me that had hoped the was something in you that cared"

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you my dear - but I suppose we should get back to obvious issue at hand”. 

Rosalind looked around them before speaking again. 

"I taught you how to do this you know - I am surprised you would think to use this against me" Rosalind's words were blunt as she watched her protegee, her eyes not missing the tightening in the younger woman’s posture. 

"I know you have been sealing the bubble for a while now." 

Farah did not acknowledge the comment as she focused on pulling in the bubble that Rosalind was right, she had been building. It would not take her long to seal it completely but now that Rosalind was pushing back it was getting harder to do so quickly, the strain of sealing her mentor in beginning to take its toll. She could feel the pressure building behind her eyes and knew that Ben and Saul would have had to notice a change. 

"I also know that I won't be able to stop you" Farah was sure that Rosalind was just speaking now to try and delay her.

"But there nothing to stop me trying to seal you in here with me - if I get to spend an eternity locked in a memory then the least you could do is keep me company" Rosalind frowned when Farah still did not respond. She watched her for a moment before she made to move forward but found she was unable to do so.

"I'm sorry Rosalind but I won't be staying - there are others waiting for me and I still have plenty of your mess to clean up" Farah finally responded as she stepped away from Rosalind, her posture relaxed now as she took in the sight of her mentor unable to move. 

"I see you Farah - I know you. Your power is too great for you to manage alone and no matter how blindly Saul or Ben follow you around they will not be able to guide you the way I could" Farah could hear the notes of desperation beginning to creep into Rosalind's words even if she appeared calm on the outside. She took a step towards the small woman, confident in her safety as she replied. 

"I have more faith in Ben's ability to become human than I do in you or help" Rosalind scoffed at her words. 

"And for Sau-"

"Yes, your precious specialist" Farah raised at hand when Rosalind spoke, the older woman suddenly silent.

"You don't get talk about Saul, Rosalind - I denied our bond for a long time because of you and your plans. I won't make that mistake again" She watched Rosalind roll her eyes as she spoke. Farah knew that she needed to wrap this up quickly - she could feel Rosalind pushing back at her again and she was beginning to worry about the strain on her own mind. 

"You will stay here Rosalind for as long as I am able to keep you here - I will clean up your mess, I will deal with Luna and with Ben and Saul I will carry on". Turning away she made to move away when she felt Rosalind reach out to her mind, her voice in her head. 

"We are more alike than you are prepared to admit Farah - you might be able to hide it for now, but the others will see soon enough and then you will come crawling back to me" 

Farah shook off Rosalind's words, not stopping to look back as she felt the bubble she had created finally close, sealing Rosalind into her memory. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, she was looking up at Ben and Saul as they hovered over her, concern evident on both their faces. She let them pull her up until she was sitting and quickly glanced at Rosalind to reassure herself that she was still out. 

"What happened?"

Ben spoke first.

"You tell us. You were in there for hours Farah and I had to give Rosalind more zanbaq when it looked that she was causing you issues" 

"Did it work?" This time it was Saul that spoke up, his hand rubbing at the back of her neck when he noticed her wince when moving her head. 

"Did you find a memory?" Farah grimaced, not at all keen at discussing what had happened but knowing that neither man would settle until she told them.

"I did" Both men waited as she paused. 

"Do you both remember the battle for Veil Mist? - we fought the Burned Ones on the hills outside of the forest" When both men nodded, she continued.

"Rosalind seems to hold that particular battle in fond memory - when I was sealing the bubble, she spoke to me".

"Hang on - she spoke to you?"

"Yes - she could sense me sealing her in and came to me. She took great joy in telling me that she was the one who drew the Burned Ones there, that she was the reason all the fairies and specialist died. Again" Saul pulled Farah closer to him when she let out a small sob. 

"I don't know if I can be shocked anymore at what she is capable of" Ben spoke softly, resting his head in his hand as Farah finally lent into Saul, her head resting on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. 

"I've sealed her in the memory - she won't be able to get out, but we still need to bind her and seal the room. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can all go to bed" All three of them laughed quietly at her words. When Farah made moves to stand both men leapt to their feet, each offering a hand to pull her up with both waiting until she was steady. It was only when she looked down that she realised there was blood on her top, the dark red stains already turning brown as they dried. 

"This may be a stupid question but why do I appear to be bloody?" 

"Ah yes well, at some point during the process your body appeared to be struggling with Rosalind. Your nose began to bleed, and you were in what was almost a comatose state for a small while - I re-dosed Rosalind and that seemed to calm down whatever was causing your reaction, it wasn't long after that when you came to" Ben explained, waving a hand at his small bag of supplies that he had abandoned next to Rosalind. 

"I would say that once we're done with Rosalind, I would like you to come back to the greenhouse so that I could check you over, but I think in the greater scheme of things just getting you to bed would be a step in the right direction - I will need to check you over tomorrow though" Farah nodded, the idea of going to bed very appealing. 

"I will bind Rosalind so that she is not able to move - it may not be necessary, but I will feel a lot better. It will also act as a warning alarm should she break free or someone attempt to break her out" Farah stepped closer to Rosalind, her eyes on the woman’s still form. 

"It will only take a moment - it is like wrapping her in a net of energy, once it is cast there is no need to maintain it and I will be able to sense any changes or disturbances even if I am some distance away. Basic stuff really." Ben and Saul nodded and then laughed, both pretending that they understood what she was talking about. Ben moved away and picked up his bag as Saul stepped in behind Farah who raised both hands and let a gentle stream of what appeared to be glowing liquid flow towards Rosalind, the substance wrapping itself around her in what looked like a cocoon. 

"I will go and deal with the doorway - I have some ideas for sealing it and laying protection against unwanted visitors. Once I am done, I am heading to bed - can I leave you to make sure that Farah gets to bed Saul?" the question was asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as the earth fairy walked, a hand raised in farewell as he disappeared up the stairs. It took only a moment for Farah to finish binding Rosalind before she stepped back, her final act to wave a hand and they both watched as Rosalind’s body rose from the floor to hang in the air as if hoisted. 

"That should be enough - I will need to check in over the next few days to make sure it settles but the beauty of this kind of enchantment is that whilst keeping her bound it will also maintain her body status. We won't need to worry about feeding her etc - the magic handles all that" Farah looked back at Saul who was still stood behind her and reached a hand out to him, waiting as he stepped forward to take it. When he was level with her, she tugged him close, wrapping herself around him and breathed him in. 

"She said things Saul - things that I worry we will need to talk about" Her words were quiet, muffled into his shirt. 

"Tomorrow - I think we have both had enough of Rosalind and her ideas for today. Let me take you to bed and we will worry about the rest of it in the morning" Saul stepped back slightly so that he could look down at her, exhaustion well and truly settled on her features. He spared a single glance at Rosalind as he pulled her towards the stairs, following Ben’s steps. 

"We finish dealing with Rosalind and her issues tomorrow".


	5. With You By My Side

Alfea sat in darkness as Farah and Saul made their way through the corridors, their hands gently twined together as they walked in silence. With each step they moved deeper into the school, neither truly leading, both content to wander until they arrived at their unknown destination. Farah had always enjoyed walking the school at night, the quiet murmur of the students pretending to be asleep in their suites, the rustling of plants wrapped around columns and window frames, the gentle sounds of footsteps as other teachers did their rounds - tonight was no different, there were whispers in the air, the soft voices of teachers as they roamed the corridors and the hushed tones of students hiding from those teachers. She took in all the sounds, drawing comfort from the familiarity of it all as she walked next to Saul - she could hear him breathing, the deep even sounds comforting as she gently squeezed his fingers.

"I can hear you thinking Farah" his words were quite as they continued to walk, his hand tightening around hers in response to her squeeze.

"They have no idea what happened today Saul - they're sleeping, for the most part, completely unaware of what Rosalind or we have done. They're safe in their bed whilst Rosalind is bound in the under croft beneath my office" Farah spoke softly, her mind still torn at the events of the day.

"Let's keep it that way shall we" he tried to keep his tone light-hearted but there was still a heaviness to his words as he replied.

"We will have to tell them something - Once we've dealt with Luna, we'll talk to the faculty as a group. It will be easiest to handle the students if we have them on board" Saul nodded as she spoke, the logic sound. They continued to walk for a while longer before they stopped in front of Saul's door. Farah laughed; an eyebrow raised she took in his sheepish smile.

"I had intended to walk you to your rooms, but we just seemed to be heading this way" he shrugged his shoulders, his spare hand reaching for the door handle. He pushed the door, letting it swing open as the ambient light from his lounged lit up the hallway, the gentle glow lifting the shadows from Farah's face. He tugged on her hand, gently encouraging her to cross the threshold, pausing when she resisted slightly.

"Now that I have delivered you safely to your rooms, I should head back to mine really - I wouldn't want to keep you up any longer than I already have done" He quirked an eyebrow, her attempt at humour light. He waited for her to continue, the fact that she had not let go of his hand not lost to him. Her gaze was on their hands, their fingers still twined together. She stood there for a moment, torn between the feeling that she should walk away and her wanting Saul to pull her through the doorway.

"You could stay you know"

"I probably shouldn't"

"You do a lot of things that you shouldn't Farah - many of them not always in your best interest. How about for once you do something for yourself?" Saul tugged on her hand again, this time stepping back into his rooms as she finally followed, Farah closing the door behind them.

"Are you sure I wouldn't be doing this for you?"

"I won't lie, I don't want you to leave but that shouldn't have an impact on what you want - I need you to want to stay with me" Farah finally let go of his hand as she stepped past him and moved further into the room, her hands trailing over the furniture as she went. She stopped when she reached his sofa, the soft fabric covered in a blanket that she had gifted him years before, the material familiar and comforting.

"You need me huh?" the question was teasing as Farah moved to sit on the sofa, kicking her shoes off before she did. Saul made to follow her, his shoes already off and by the door as he lowered himself beside her.

"I'll always need you Farah, you know that - but if I am being honest, I’ll be happy with whatever I can get" Saul reached his arm out and pulled her towards him, Farah shifting as he did so that she was sitting astride him, her legs resting either side of his hips as her hands came to rest on his shoulders.

"We should both be getting some sleep right now - this is the last kind of thing we should be doing" Saul laughed as he watched Farah try and find a reason to move away. He placed his hands on her hips, his thumbs rubbing gently against the material of her skirt where it sat hitched on her thighs. He tipped his head up and watched her. Farah shook her head, one hand coming up to loosen her hair from its tie as she let it fall around her shoulders, the waves settling as she looked back down at Saul.

"I don't know about you, but I think in light of today's events this is exactly what we should be doing - and anyway, I distinctly remember saying that we would need to come back to this at some point. Better now than never" Saul squeezed his hands as he spoke. Farah pretended to huff in irritation as his hands slowly ruched up the fabric of her skirt, her hands meanwhile following the lines of his shoulders and down the planes of his chest as they came to rest on the zipper to his jacket. She tugged on the zip, letting the jacket fall open when she reached the end before she reached back up to push it off his shoulders. Saul released his grip on her so that she could push the jacket down his arms and toss it over the back of the sofa. When she was done, she settled back on his lap, her hands pulling at the edge of his t-shirt, the material soft underneath her fingers.

"I don't think you want me to say how long I have been waiting for you to take my clothes off" Saul's words finally drawing a laugh from her as she rested her palms on his chest, his skin warm underneath the fabric. She smiled down at him as she watched him lean back against the sofa.

"And as lovely as it was to do so - I'm afraid I won't be taking much more off you tonight" Farah said the words quietly, waiting for a response.

"I'll take whatever I can get Farah - whatever you are happy to share with me. We both need to rest and if that means that we all do is sleep, then at least I know I'll sleep better with you by my side”.

"This doesn't mean that I don't want more Saul. I know you do - I can feel it, I always feel it" Her eyes flashed white briefly, the faint reminder that she always knew what he was thinking whether she wanted to or not. He reached a hand up and cupped her check gently, his hand pulling her down so that their faces were level. They sat there like that for a moment, breathing as one as silence settled over the rooms - completely cut off from the rest of the school. Farah closed the distance between them this time, her hands fisting in his top as she kissed Saul, her eyes closing as he leaned into the kiss. Saul put his hands back on her hips as Farah shuffled on his lap, determined to be as close to Saul as she could, steadying her until she settled again – he then leant back further into the sofa, his head coming to rest on the back as she followed him, not letting him break from the kiss. They stayed like that only breaking apart when they both needed to take a breath, Saul brushing his nose against Farah's as she continued to lean over him.

"If we are going to get any rest before Luna arrives in the morning then you’re going to need to get off my lap Farah" She laughed at his comment, her gaze moving pointedly to where his hands were gripping the fabric of her skirt.

"If I am going to get off you then you need to let go of my clothing" Saul laughed as he released her, his hands running down her thighs as she climbed off his lap. He did then find himself being pulled upwards from the sofa by her grip on his top, one hand still clutching the fabric and the other reaching out for his hand. He took her hand and let her pull him the rest of the way off the sofa before he stepped past her, guiding her towards the only other closed door in the space, one hand pushing it open. Farah stopped at the edge of his bedroom as he let go of her to move further into the space - she watched him move about the room, picking up stray pieces of clothing that had missed the laundry basket by his wardrobe and shuffling a pair of shoes back under his bed. Content to let her watch as he readied the room, not having planned to have a bed guest when he left his rooms that morning Saul moved back across the room to pull his curtains shut, the heavy material blocking out what little light had seeped in from outside. He finally stopped moving when he cleared everything away and sat himself on the edge of the bed facing her, his elbows coming to rest on his knees as he watched her, leant against his doorway, the faint glow from the lamp in the living room casting her into shadow.

"There is no pressure here Farah but we both need to sleep - I can always sleep on the sofa if you would be more comfortable. God knows you have had it the worst out of all of us today" his words were soft as he shared the olive branch, the slight hesitation and uncertainty easy to read as she finally moved away from the doorframe.

"It won't be the first time that we have shared a bed Saul and at least this time we can argue that neither of us were to drunk to realise it" Farah stepped towards him as she spoke.

"Besides, wasn't the whole point of me coming in here so that we could rest together - how am I going to sleep knowing I relegated you to the sofa?" her question light, teasing as she finally stepped within his reach. He reached out to her, pulling her close as he stood again.

"Let me find you something to wear, because as much as I love your clothes I couldn't possibly believe they are comfortable to sleep in" Saul leant down quickly to brush a kiss against her forehead as he stepped past her. As he moved to the dresser by his door he pulled at the bottom of his top, the fabric coming away easily as he lifted it over his head and proceeded to drop it on the floor behind him. He didn't turn around when he heard her give a quiet laugh, opening drawers as he rummaged through looking for something for her to wear. He did however jump when he felt her arms wrap around his middle, her head coming to rest on his back. Saul let his hands drop the t-shirt he had picked up and turned in her arms, eyebrow raising as he took in her wearing the top he had just removed, the item of clothing clearly too big, but the sight of her in it with her hair loose was enough to make any man weak.

"Got impatient, did we?"

"You were taking too long." He laughed and stepped away from the dresser, his hand finding hers as he guided them both back to the bed. He pulled back the blankets and gestured for her to climb in as he moved back around the other side.

"I would have found you a clean one to wear - that probably stinks of me by now" Farah shuffled in the bed as she re-arranged the blankets, waiting for him to settle in next to her. It did not take Saul long to climb in beside her, stopping to place his trousers next to her neatly folded clothes at the foot of the bed and plugging his phone in on the bedside table - he sighed as he laid down, his eyes closing as he felt his muscles relax for the first time in what felt like a long time. He felt Farah shuffle towards him under the blankets, her intent clear as she lay on top his chest, her head tucking under his chin as she wrapped her legs through his.

"Your right, it does - but then so does your bed and the pillows" He opened his eyes and looked down at the top of her head as she relaxed into him, the bare skin of her legs and arms warm against his as she settled.

"I like your smell" He laughed, one arm wrapping around her back to hold her against him as the other settled on his chest, fingers loose. He felt her lift her head slightly and laughed again at the expression on her face.

"That did not sound nearly as strange in my head" Farah's words were quiet as she watched him laugh, tiredness taking over his features as he closed his eyes again. She laid her head back onto his chest and closed her eyes as well.

"Don't worry about it - let me think about it until morning and I am sure I can come up with something for you" he replied after a minute. He rubbed his hand down her back and relaxed when he felt the muscles under the fabric start to soften. He felt her chest rising and falling against his as she breathed deeply, each one slowing until they settled into a deep rhythm. Happy that she was finally asleep, Saul let himself drop one final kiss against her hair as he settled back down – knowing that it wouldn’t be long before he followed her into sleep, he was happy to let the thoughts that had plagued him all evening of the trouble to follow them when Luna arrived in the morning fade away.


	6. What May Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a little smaller than usual - but chapter 7 and 8 are almost complete and we will be getting back to the juicy stuff soon.
> 
> I promise!

Dawn brought not only the morning sun to Alfea and its students but also a convoy. The polished vehicles moved smoothly across the school grounds as they made their way to the courtyard, the light bouncing of the tinted windows as they pulled to a stop in front of the main doors. Ben was already waiting, his hands crossed in front of him as the doors opened and suited individuals stepped out, their gazes already flitting about the courtyard before the back door opened on one and Luna stepped out, the ruler of Solaria looking as polished as ever. Without a glance back to her security forces Luna stepped towards Ben, her cool gaze not shifting as he bowed his head at her approach before he turned and gestured behind him, specialists already pushing the heavy wooden doors open. 

"I must say that I am surprised Rosalind was not here to greet me - I would have thought that as Headmistress of this school it was the least, she could" the words were sharp, her displeasure clear and Ben shook his head briefly as he fell in a step behind Luna as they made their way into the school buildings. 

"There were issues yesterday but I think it best that Farah explains" Luna stopped sharply, spinning to face Ben. The stop was so sudden that Ben stumbled in an attempt to avoid colliding with the smaller woman. 

"What do you mean issues"?

"Farah really should be the one to explain" Ben made to move off, deciding that now was not the time to wait for Luna - his feet leading him to Farah's office as he heard the light fairy follow behind him. The short journey was tense, the silence that settled over the pair heavy as they approached Farah's rooms, Ben opening the door and stepping back so that Luna could walk in first. One she had stepped in, he followed on behind, closing the door quietly. Farah was sat behind her desk, her hands steepled in front her as she spoke to Saul who was perched on the edge of her desk, his arms crossed over his chest. Both looked up as Luna walked in but neither moved as she settled herself in front of Farah's desk, her presence bringing their conversation to a halt. 

"Good morning Luna - I hope you journey was a pleasant one" Saul snorted quietly at Farah's typically polite greeting - her attempts at civility a constant source of amusement to him. 

"Any journey out of the capital is a bother - this particular journey more so. Where is Rosalind?" Again, her words were sharp, no room for misunderstanding as she eyed the pair behind the desk, Ben leaning against a wall in the back of the room content to stay out of the conversation for now. 

"Well as always we are delighted to have you here." 

"Cut the crap Farah - Ben has already made it clear there were issues yesterday. I assumed Rosalind had everything in hand when she did not contact me last night, only for her to not be here to greet me when I arrived this morning. What is going on?" Farah sighed, her attempts at keeping the peace slowly being buried by Luna's questions. 

"There were issues at Aster Dell - complications we had not planned for." 

What Luna did not know was that the explanation that was to follow had been discussed and agreed by trio earlier that morning - they had pulled the staff into her office before the students had awoken and given them a rough idea of what had happened the evening before, that they had found the Burned Ones hiding and killed them, but that Rosalind had also been killed in the chaos, her body being burned along with the others. They had agreed to hold a memorial for Rosalind, to preserve the image of the headmistress for those who would choose to remember her after which all traces of her would slowly be removed from the school and hidden away. 

"When we arriv-" Farah paused, her head dropping into her hands for a moment as Saul leant closer to place his hand on her shoulder. When he squeezed her shoulder, she looked up at smiled at him gently before turning back to Luna - the smaller woman having sat herself in the only spare chair directly across from Farah. 

"When we arrived at Aster Dell, they were waiting for us and there were a lot more than we had anticipated on. It was chaos from the beginning”.

"What happened?"

"We were completely overwhelmed from the moment we arrived at the village and during the chaos Rosalind was separated from us bu-" Luna interrupted her, her delicate hand raised.

"What do you mean separated? Were you not there are a team?"

"When the Burned Ones attacked it was almost impossible to keep track of each other. Ben did his best to hold them back whilst Saul and I destroyed those that got to close but I believe Rosalind left us to take her own action. One moment she was with us, the next she was gone" Saul squeezed her shoulder again when she paused, the action almost completely unnoticeable. 

"I believe Rosalind was attempting to use us as bait to draw them all into one location" The room sat in silence at Farah's words, Saul using his position sat atop her desk to gaze down at her. Luna broke the silence first, her arms coming to cross against her chest as she leant back in her seat.

"I had suspected she would try something of that nature when she informed me that she was taking the three of you with her. It seemed odd to me that she would bring others along when she had been crowing about her plans to finish off the Burned Ones alone - I would have understood her bring you Farah, she never seemed keen to let you be too far from her however I was surprised by her addition of Ben and Saul" The three of them turned to look at Luna in shock, her words unexpected.

"She told you what she had planned?" Farah was careful of her wording, the idea that Rosalind and Luna had been in on her plot still a suspicion. 

"She alluded to certain facts when we last spoke" Luna's words were clearly carefully selected as she responded, not wanting to reveal everything she knew. 

"However, that still does not explain where Rosalind is?" This time it was Saul that spoke up.

"We fought our way out of the village, I wanted to get to the top of the hill so that we could have some sort of advantage and knew that if we were going to locate Rosalind the height would be necessary. When we made it to the top of the hill it was clear that she was making headway - much of the village had already been destroyed but whatever plan she had hoped to follow was not working, not enough of them had swarmed us. Farah and I left Ben atop the hill and fought our way towards her but-"

"We were too late - I couldn't tell you if it was her own magic or if one of them had got to her but she was already dead by the time we broke through. Her body was so charred we could barely recognise her, but she had done enough damage that we were able to kill the last few still standing" Farah spoke over Saul, not wanting Luna to focus on Saul too much should she decided to reach into his mind, her own mind powers formidable in their own right. She knew she had done the right thing when she felt the tendrils of Luna's magic reaching out to her, the gentle aura misleading in its intent to probe her memories - never had she been gladder of her abilities to shield her mind from other fairies, a skill she had been working on after several intense sessions with Rosalind over the years. 

She sat and watched Luna, the other woman's face not revealing an inch whilst the room settled back into silence. They sat like that for several minutes, Luna probing at the edges of her mind whilst Farah focused on keeping her attention away from the other two. When she finally felt the grip of Luna's magic fade away, she breathed gently, releasing the tension she had not realised she was holding in her shoulders.

"Did you burn the bodies? We cannot risk the infection having any opportunity to spread again" Farah nodded at the question, a small amount of relief filling her chest as Luna appeared ready to move forward. 

"We burnt them all - I also put up a shield around the village, it seemed easier to hide the damage rather than come up with an explanation for it. No one should be able to enter without myself or Ben knowing first" Luna stood as she finished speaking. Farah and Saul following in suit. 

"You will have to take over the school obviously - there is no one else remotely qualified and it will reassure the staff in the days to follow. I trust you will accept this position" The question was clearly rhetorical, the answer obvious to everyone in the room. Farah bowed her head slightly in acceptance before nodding at Ben who moved to open the door for Luna, Saul finally stepping away from her desk to move behind Farah, his message clear as Luna looked to them both. 

"I am sure that we will want to keep this as quiet as possible, it would be best you do not draw too much attention to yourselves - we wouldn't want anyone looking to closely into this, should they see something they don't like" Luna's threat was clear, her words hanging heavy in the air as flicked her hair over her shoulder before moving out the door, Ben closing it shut behind her. Once he was sure she had moved on, he stepped back into the room fully and dropped into the seat Luna had vacated - his hands coming up to rub at his eyes before he spoke. 

"She knows far more than she is prepared to admit to - if her avoidance of clear answers wasn't obvious enough." 

"She attempted to read my memories." 

Both men looked to her in shock, Ben leaning forward in his seat and Saul placing both of his hands on her shoulders as she leant back to look up at him. 

"Did she-" 

"She wouldn't have been able to. After the last time Rosalind attempted to do the same, I finally adapted a way of shielding my thoughts from other fairies, it would take someone with far more skill than her to do so despite her own prowess”. 

"So, she didn't see anything."

"I didn't say that - whilst I shielded my memories of the last day from her, I did allow her to see flashes of images I created that would reflect our story. She may suspect otherwise but she has no proof" They all took a moment to breath at Farah's words, the implication of what would have happened if Farah hadn't have stopped Luna clear to them all. 

"We will need to be careful moving forward - her words were clear. She will be watching us, and we cannot afford to draw her attention any more than we have already"


End file.
